Hypertext Top 5 of 2018: YouTube Channels

While everyone talks about new content on TV and paid streaming services, we prefer to spend our time on YouTube instead as we’ve poured thousands of hours into watching content on the platform.

2018 was no different as we not only continued to watch channels we’ve been subscribed to for years, but we’ve also found new content creators this year which is what we’ll be sharing today.

Yes the channels featured here were not created this year, but 2018 is when we found them and now it’s time to share them with you.

Click on the name of the channel to be taken to their YouTube page, or give the embedded video a watch. We tried to pick a video that would best show off the channel while also being a great standalone watch for those that have series running.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that almost all of these channels arrived in our feeds thanks to YouTube’s own recommendations. The algorithms on the that site get a lot of justified criticism, but it sometimes hits it right out of the park when showing us new channels.

The premise of the Kiwami Japan channel is very simple: turn almost anything you can think of into a knife. Milk, tape, chicken bones, they’re all fair game here.

Weapon crafting and similar channels have always been popular on YouTube, but this channel is special for its bizarre presentation featuring no commentary from the host and very strange skits interlaced into the knife making process.

It’s also a bit of a hodgepodge affair. Many videos will show the host creating some kind of rudimentary machine to help him make a knife. This has an oddly charming effect as it feels like anyone could replicate these projects should they feel so inclined, as most of the tools used (with the exception of sharpening stones) can be found in your kitchen or at the local store.

While the Brutalmoose channel became popular for its retro games and TV / movie content, its recent looks at different foods in its “Brutalfoods” channel is what made us subscribe.

What’s so entertaining about watching a man eat frozen meals and try out some questionable cooking? Well it’s the host Ian and the phenomenal editing on display here. Ian is very charismatic and funny on his own, and the editing adds a another layer of entertainment here so much so that it’s its own personality.

This really is one of those times where you have to watch to fully understand, so give it a spin. If you run out of food videos (there are 16 at the time of writing), make sure to give the rest of the channel some love as it’s just as good.

No, this channel isn’t anything to do with higher education, but is instead focused on Magic: The Gathering. While none of us here at Hypertext play the game at a competitive level, this channel is still highly recommended if you have any interest in trading card games.

That’s because Tolarian does some of the comprehensive reviews on TCG products. If you’ve ever been unsure what card sleeves, deck boxes or playmats to buy, this is where you need to be.

We could even see this channel being entertaining to watch if you’ve never played a TCG in your life, that’s how good the content is. The only real problem here, for us anyway, is that a lot of the interesting products shown off are not readily available in South Africa. Oh, and it will probably get you itching to spend more money on cards, so be weary of that.

Vitriolic names aside, all three of these content creators make entertaining stuff on their own and they bring their own brand of humour to the show. Every week they also pick a new movie to watch and discuss (you can see the very odd movie The Holy Mountain featured in the thumbnail) which you can catch beforehand so you can join in on the discussion.

While we’re recommending this whole channel, the main reason to subscribe is because of two ongoing series it hosts: Gourmet Makes and It’s Alive.

Hosted by Claire Saffitz, Gourmet Makes attempts to recreate popular junk food either to see if it’s possible to do at home, or to improve it in some way. This series is what really put the channel on the map and you may have already seen an episode or two.

Brad Leone’s It’s Alive series is our favourite here, however. While the original focus of the show was fermented food (hence the name), it’s grown to become a general cooking show. Like Brutalmoose, the real attractions are the host and the editing, as they both play a huge part in why this series is so damn compelling.

Out of everything on the list, this is the one you’re most likely to burn an entire weekend watching.

About Us

Hypertext is one of South Africa’s leading technology news and reviews sites, catering for consumers, small and medium businesses and the technology channel. We publish original content daily and welcome your feedback. To suggest a story click here or to make an advertising enquiry click here.

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